Understanding the Canadian Residency Obligation
Counting Your Days: The 730-Day Rule
Summary
In Canada, permanent residents must accumulate at least 730 days of physical presence in Canada within any rolling five-year period to maintain their status. These days need not be consecutive, and certain days spent abroad can count toward this requirement if the resident works for a Canadian business or government agency, travels with a Canadian citizen or permanent resident spouse or parent, or is a dependent child accompanying such a parent. Failure to meet the residency obligation may lead to a formal determination of status loss, but there is an appeal process through the Immigration Appeal Division to contest such decisions.
On This Page You Will Find:
- Maintaining Canadian Permanent Resident Status: Residency Requirements Explained
- Understanding the Canadian Residency Obligation
- Counting Your Days: The 730-Day Rule
Understanding the Canadian Residency Obligation
Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), section 28, permanent residents must comply with the residency obligation by being physically present in Canada for a minimum of 730 days within every five-year period. The five-year period is a rolling window, meaning IRCC assesses presence on any given day by looking back over the preceding five years and tallying days present. The 730-day requirement does not demand continuous residence, allowing flexibility for travel, work assignments, or family commitments abroad.
Counting Your Days: The 730-Day Rule
Each full day spent in Canada as a permanent resident counts as one day toward the 730-day requirement. Time spent in Canada as a temporary resident (student, worker, or visitor) or protected person before becoming a permanent resident may count as a half day, up to a maximum of 365 days toward the obligation, provided it occurred within the five-year eligibility period. IRCC provides a Physical Presence Calculator to help applicants track both full-day and half-day credits for time spent in Canada.
IRCC recommends maintaining a detailed travel journal—recording entry and exit dates, flight itineraries, boarding passes, and employment records—to substantiate physical presence claims if questioned. It is important to note that an expired permanent resident card does not equate to loss of status; status is retained until a formal determination is made, though failure to present a valid PR card at entry can trigger a review of residency compliance. In exceptional circumstances, humanitarian and compassionate considerations may override a breach of the residency obligation, allowing retention of PR status despite non-compliance in prior periods. If PR status is officially lost, individuals may apply for a Permanent Resident Travel Document (PRTD) at a Canadian visa office abroad to return to Canada and potentially address the residency deficiency while preserving their status.
